FateAlternate
by TalkToMoon
Summary: "With every chapter that ends, there is a new chapter that begins. Even darkness leads to dawn, and so in turn, does the moon bring the sun." Abandoned and rejected by her master, Saber presses on, a lonely warrior in an alien place.
1. Prologue: A Story For The Night

**DISCLAIMER:**

**I do not own any of the characters in this story. All belong to Type-Moon. The cover was a photoshop of a Fate/Zero wallpaper found on ZeroChan. Thank you to Type-Moon and Nasu for creating a wonderful story.**

**A Story For The Night**

"— I will only ask you once. Will you not change your mind? Are you certain this is what you want?"

"I will not change my mind. I have no intention to kill anyone."

The boy was still replaying the conversation in his mind again, as he walked down the lonely path. The street was eerie, and cold, and dark; unsettling was the closest word he could put it, so he put his mind at work in order to stave off the feeling of loneliness.

He put his hands in his jeans pockets, sighing. His right hand still tingled slightly. He looked at it again.

Nothing. Just his regular right hand.

No more marks.

No Command Seal.

Just his regular hand. Reflexively, he looked to the right.

No more banana-yellow rain-coat following him. Just the harmless fizzle of the street lights.

"So it's over, then," he said to himself. He shook his head.

He couldn't believe it.

"Let's go home, then. What good will it do to go back to the Church now?" he sighed to himself.

"Huh?"

"I see you're alone, Onii-chan."

An explosive gust of wind. A roar of pure anger. A cry for help.

The boy cries out. He flies away, into the street, trailing blood.

His eyes look on at the dark shadow looming above him.

His pain does not end.

~ BAD END ~

Somewhere, Saber walks alone. She cannot last long; her breaths grow weaker at every step.

But she will find a new master.

She has to; else she will disappear.

Her quiet footsteps echo in the night.

She looks up at the moon, unsure, and deep inside, a little frightened.

But it was not death she was afraid of. She could accept that willingly.

Nay. Her honour as a Servant would not allow her to fade away; not without a fight, and so she walks, searching for a master.

* * *

**Author's Notes:**

Hello. Alongside Fate/Abyss, I will write a new story; It's an alternate WHAT IF of Fate/Stay Night's Bad Ending; a, WHAT WOULD HAPPEN, if Shirou never accepted his responsibility of being a master.

Hope you enjoyed the preview!

As always, leave a review if you liked it, or like/favorite, yada yada. I will be uploading a chapter when I finish editing it :)

~ TalkToMoon


	2. Chapter 1: An Old Friend

A quiet night. A solemn night.

A moon-lit night.

Saber walked on. The moon brightened her way, and without thinking, she followed its rays down the road. She had gone from the church, having recognized that Shirou had cut ties with her.

As if she was in a trance, she looked around her, looked at the sky, and with lethargic fingers, brushed the hair from her face.

The lack of energy was weakening her. Her Master had decided he would not join; hence, she was weakening.

"I have… maybe two, three hours." she whispered to herself. Slowly, and surely, Saber was disappearing.

The plants around her swayed in the wind, as if giving her comfort. She ignored it. She didn't have time to dwell on the serenity of the night.

She walked on.

In her tired state, she somehow noticed that she was walking towards a familiar place. Her footsteps drew her closer and closer, till she stopped. A trace of recognition.

"Could this be—"

Her voice trailed.

Yes it was. The land had grown back, but it didn't hide what she remembered.

Fire, and blood.

It was here that swords had clashed, and it was… here, that she had fallen.

Her eyes traced the ground, as if remembering the past events.

To any other person, it would appear normal; a deserted park, a disturbed, off-putting atmosphere. But to her eyes, it was something different. She could see the faint lines of nothingness underlying the traces of grass that grew over it.

It was not life that had grown here before, but death.

A branch snapped behind her. She whirled towards the noise, but saw nothing. She scanned her surroundings.

Nothing.

Only nature.

But it was too quiet.

Breathing deeply, she extended her aura as far as possible, reaching outwards, sensing her surroundings with her energy.

Nothing.

She felt nothing, and that was what scared her.

She could feel nothing with her aura.

Was it a result of her weakness? Was she really out of energy? No. There was something there.

She was too weak to sense it, but there was something there.

"Whoever you are," she said, "come out."

Silence.

"Beautiful, isn't it, Saber?"

A figure stepped out from behind one of the trees.

"I find the burned land to be quite the touch in this rotten city."

A slight smirk; a twisted grin. The figure looked like a foreigner; blonde, sporting a black coat and slacks. But a feral grin was on his face, predatory, and in his eyes tinged a hint of madness.

"Black doesn't suit you," Saber spat.

It was an old enemy. An old nightmare dredged from a time she was sure no longer mattered. Archer, the golden-haired Servant from the last war, grinned back at her manically.

"Nor does yellow on you, Saber," he retorted. "You deserve something better, as befitting royalty."

"I want nothing from you."

"Oh, still holding onto that indomitable spirit?"

Archer drew a step closer. Saber took one back, not out of fear, but to ready herself for her next move.

"Do you remember what happened here, Saber? How I beat you into submission?"

"You proved nothing here."

"Keep thinking that. I like it when you're feisty. It will make breaking you so much more fun."

Saber exploded into action. The raincoat flew into the air, carried by the wind, and the moonlight glinted off her armour as she aimed straight for her enemy's heart.

But he was just as quick, if not quicker. Snapping his finger, he took a step back and easily parried Saber's furious assault. Their swords locked. Their faces were close enough to touch, and Saber could clearly see the madness in his eyes, the insanity that lurked behind his red pupils.

"Admit it, Saber. We are a perfect match," he said, but his actions spoke otherwise. With almost a yawn, he had blocked her attacks in a one-handed stance, and that was only humiliating for the proud warrior.

Saber roared, and pushed forward. Archer easily gave ground, stepping out of the way and righting himself.

"I'm going to enjoy this," he laughed. He did his own charge, lightning quick. His sword flew in intricate patterns, slicing the air itself.

Saber blocked what she could, but fell back. Her strength was rapidly depleting, even from such a fast encounter. She could barely keep her Invisible Air up, as she strove to push her foe back.

Her enemy easily blocked all her attempts to disengage, keeping her occupied, keeping her body moving, constantly pressuring her with his attacks.

Slowly, Saber gave ground. Her aggression stifled, she tried to bide her time, waiting for the opportune moment to strike, but her enemy had no weakness.

Did he grow stronger from when we last met? Saber thought. She barely had time to breathe.

And how was he here? The last war was done and gone, a bitter fragment of memory circulating in her mind. Doubtless, she knew she should ask this question, but her mouth was dry. Her breath came out weary and ragged, and she breathed through her mouth a shallow, throaty growl.

I simply that weak right now? Saber grudgingly thought. Can I not see his openings, because of the strength I lack?

Somehow, the enemy Servant got a lucky strike in. She was blown back from the strength of the blow, hitting several trees, crashing through their trunks and splintering the wood before finally stopping.

Blood spurted out from her mouth. Pain all over, from a simple attack.

Yes, she was weak. She could feel it. She didn't have the energy to fight him.

She tried to stand, but her armour grew heavy. Linked to her soul, her armour should weigh almost nothing; they were magical projections of her energy, and someone as strong as her should easily have been able to wear them.

Slowly, surely, she willed herself back up, her tired form leaning against the tree she had crashed against.

Her enemy was simply laughing as he approached her.

"Is this all you have, Saber?"

He stood three paces away, no longer holding his sword. He was simply holding his sides in mirth, his laughter echoing in the night.

"And yet still you defy me?"

She spat on the ground.

"I must teach you your place, Saber."

Archer snapped his fingers once more. The world froze around him, and a gigantic gate opened behind him, looming ominously.

Chains flew out from the doors, entangling Saber's limbs. Backing away, Saber slashed away a few chains, but one grasped her by the leg. Another stilled her arm, and she struggled in its grasp.

"These chains would hold down a god, Saber!" he laughed cruelly. "What more you in your weakened state?"

She squirmed, defiant, yet she could not free herself from the chains.

"It's a shame for you to waste your energy. You cannot free yourself."

Fully entangled by chains, Saber was cornered. Her sword hand was behind her back, and left hand strapped behind the tree.

The golden haired Servant drew near her, and struck her down.

"Are you done yet?" he asked.

"You… haven't changed at all," Saber spat. "Still… a pathetic wretch..."

Archer kicked her away, and she landed with a thud.

"A wretch? And what of you? You have lost. AGAIN, Saber."

"You've bested a tired foe."

"I've bested you regardless. Now submit."

"Never."

"Then I will have to take you by force, then."

He grinned manically. He reached down…

But fire exploded in his chest. Fire and ice combined, both burned and chilled him, blowing him backwards away from his captive foe.

"What?"

"My, my. Are you one of the Servants I have to watch out for?"

Tohsaka Rin smiled sweetly, wagging her finger.

A man materialized beside her as well. The Servant she had cut down earlier, in the Emiya residence, smirked beside his master. Saber was sure she had hurt him then, but surprisingly, the man in red simply laughed in a care-free manner, as if daring Archer to attack.

"Tch. A magician… and a servant. I'm guessing you're one of the Masters, then?"

"Maybe," Rin replied. "But I'm suggesting you put her down, otherwise, it might not do your coat any good to get burned again."

A tense moment. Nothing moved. For a moment, Saber thought that there would be another explosion.

From her position, she could see Archer's expression. Still insane, but there was a gleam of dark intelligence behind them this time, a dark brooding intelligence, mixed with fire and shadow.

Archer laughed.

"I could crush you right now," he taunted. The chains tightened around Saber's figure, drawing a ragged cry from her. The man in red laughed back.

"You could try," the main in red said. "I'd love a simple diversion."

For a moment, Saber thought Archer would respond. It took a visible effort from the golden-haired Archer to not attack.

But the chains disappeared and withdrew back into nothingness. The gate disappeared, as if it had never been in the first place.

"Insects everywhere," Archer snorted, "but even insects have their use. Go on, take your prize."

He gestured to Saber, still on the ground.

"I'll get her later, when you've filled her with energy again. And I'll enjoy every bit of it."

Archer turned, and simply left, laughing all the while.

Rin extended her hand towards Saber.

"Saber-san, are you alright?"

Light.

And darkness.

Saber closed her eyes, and there was nothing more.


	3. Chapter 2: Musings

Rin:

Saber had fainted when they'd gotten to her, but didn't seem to have suffered any brutal wounds. Rin breathed a heavy sigh, shaking her head after they had put her to bed in one of the guest rooms.

"Geez. That was annoying. I didn't think I'd have to my jewels so early," _Eight left_. Rin thought. "Well, at least we got to her in time."

Archer was simply silent. He leaned backwards against the couch, his foot raised. He was staring at her grimly, a cross between a smirk and a frown fluctuating on his face, as if he couldn't decide whether to tease her or scold her.

"Don't look at me like that, Archer," Rin snapped, seeing the disdainful look he gave her. She wasn't in the mood to put up with him.

"Oh? Then how should I look at you?"

He stood up, hands by his side.

"Rin, I don't want you to believe that saving Saber was a bad choice, but you used way too much energy in doing so."

"I used just enough power, Archer!"

"But you seem to have forgotten we are weaker than we were. The wound Saber gave me still leaves me weak, yet you went out of your way to save her, even revealing yourself to an enemy Servant. That was uncharacteristically reckless."

"But I couldn't have left her there!"

"But I'd have thought that you'd have measured our options more carefully. That Servant… If he had called your bluff..."

"Is he stronger than you?" Rin asked, "even at full strength?"

Archer shook his head, grinning. "I am the strongest Servant, Rin, because I have the strongest Master. But even the strong have weak moments, and right now, yes, that Servant could've bested me. I wouldn't have been able to protect you."

"And if he was intent on fighting, we would've lost. Did you see his strength?"

Rin shivered. Yes, she did. The gate that opened emitted a wave of energy, emanating A-rank magics of such magnitude that that she was sure other Masters would've sensed it, no matter how far they were from the park.

_That Servant was powerful_, Rin thought. _But that's exactly why we needed Saber._

"That's exactly why we need Saber," Rin said, echoing her thoughts with her words.

"Oh?"

Rin brushed the hair from her face with the back of her hand, smiling disdainfully. "If we have Saber, even temporarily, then it's definitely easier to scare off our enemies with two Servants, instead of one. Not only that, at your weakened state, Archer, it'd be a lot more reassuring to have two Servants capable of fighting instead of one."

"Not to mention," Rin goes on, "Saber knows who we were. If Saber's going to find a Master, I'd much rather know who it was, and be on even ground with him, than Saber finding a Master and knowing who we were, how we work, and how strong we are, while we have no information on him, wouldn't you agree?"

"That logic is sound... But what will you do if Saber finds a Master?"

"Who knows?" Rin smiled an empty smile. "But… we'll have to see what happens then."

_Besides_, Rin thought, _I couldn't have left her to that monster._

"One other issue you need to address, Rin. Any other Servant, no matter how haughty, would've finished off a downed and weakened opponent. But that Servant seemed to be interested in Saber, almost toyed with her despite her putting up a decent resistance."

"He did seem like he was playing," mused Rin, "or at least not being entirely serious with her..."

"What will we do if he comes back? Doubtless, he has a personal interest in her, otherwise, we would never have reached her in the first place."

"He's probably not stupid enough to take on two Servants, and a Master alone, though, right?" Rin asked.

Archer nodded back, a bit hesitant. "Maybe."

"We always have the option to run, Archer. I've placed enough wards that we would know of an attack long before it actually hit. Discretion is the better part of Valor."

"Would we leave Saber behind if that happens?"

Rin shrugged. "I don't know. We'll just have to see."

Rin stared at the clock. Five o'clock. Not enough time to sleep before school begins. She turned her face to Archer, and Archer visibly grimaced.

"What?" he asked.

"Tea."

"Ugh." Archer shook his head, and headed for the tea-pot.

"Thanks!"

The clock ticked slowly by as Rin shook the weariness out of her body. She'd barely slept, but she'd have to make do. If she cut her classes that day, there might be questions. Better for her to fall asleep during class then to skip a day of school, and have people wonder where she went.

Archer handed her her tea, and sat down.

"I just realized," he said "What will you do if Saber wakes up?"

"I doubt she will, at least not before we get home," Rin said. "The fight must've drained her a lot, and she barely had any energy to spend. She will probably spend at least the whole morning and afternoon trying to recover."

"And if she wakes up earlier than intended?"

"Then I doubt she'll also have the strength to move very far. And she's not ungrateful," Rin said, sipping from her tea cup. "She won't leave before saying her thanks. I just hope she doesn't disappear before we get back."

"Oh? She's that weak?"

"She is. It actually amazes me how she stood up to that monster."

That golden haired monster had emanated such strength. It was what made Saber easy to track. That Servant released such pent-up energy, such emotion, that they had blindly followed it, thinking that that was Saber's energy.

It was simply that Servant's energy stalking Saber, a predator stalking after wounded prey.

"Maybe it was toying with her," Archer mused. "He seemed reminded me of a cat toying with its prey."

"Well, we'll just have to show the cat its place, right?" Rin smiled, as she finished her cup.

"Right. Leave it to me, Rin."

Rin left the Tohsaka Mansion soon after, with Archer following her in spirit form, a guardian spirit watching over her.

"Speaking of which, Archer," Rin said, "I think we should check on Shirou later."

"You worry for him?"

"Maybe. If Goldie, that Servant, found Saber so easily, then who's to say he didn't find Shirou? It might be best to also make sure he's safe, because of what he knows, Archer."

Archer nodded, and they left for school, shaking the weariness off their bones, and readying themselves for a new day.

Author's note:

I will be switching from Rin and Saber's perspective in the upcoming chapters, as they are (unsurprisingly) the main characters in this fan-fiction 8D

* * *

This chapter IS rather boring, because it's all talk, but FSN isn't always about killy-killy. The story is what's important.

Hope you enjoyed the chapter! The next one will be rather… grimmer than the first 2-3, and I'll hopefully have it done soon.

Cheers! As always, leave a review/comment/message if you liked it or not. Feedback is ALWAYS appreciated! ^^

~TalkToMoon

Author's Note (2):

Re-uploaded because I had uploaded the unfinished, messy version. I will be more strict and watchful in the future :)

Cheers~

~TalkToMoon


	4. Chapter 3: Saber

A slash here.

A stab there.

Long ago, the place might've been called beautiful; grass must've grown in thick patches, and flowers must've dotted the landscape, a veritable field of roses in bloom.

But sword heads had cut the swathe of flowers down. Axes had chopped down the trees to be made into engines of war, and even the grass did not escape demise, trampled upon by two different armies readying themselves for battle.

Two sides, then, prepared themselves. One army, clothed in black, the other draped in white. At the head of one was the warrior-princess, the leader of men, and at the other was the usurper of the throne, the fake, the dark prince, the black knight.

A trumpet blast; then, darkness took over as two armies crashed into each other, body against body, steel against steel, blood against blood. The blackness swept over the plains, over each side, engulfing the fighting men, erasing them from existence, until only two were left.

The warrior-princess strode past the bodies of the fallen; the usurper, eyeing his enemy, did likewise. Hatred, like a blade, took over the black knight's figure, sending him into vile spasms, bending ad twisting his armor out of shape until he himself hulked over the princess, almost twenty feet tall, a monstrosity in nature and in existence. He drew his sword, and fought, stabbing, cutting, slashing. His giant weapon tore the ground itself asunder, sending chunks of land flying into the distance.

The warrior-princess stood her ground, a flurry of movement. Her white armor, pure and clean as white as virgin snow, sparkled in the darkness, a beacon of light under the shadow's gaze. Her sword, as beautiful as she herself, battered away at her foe's sword, sending it flying away. The giant blade sank into the darkness, and the black knight fell backwards, his hands shielding his face.

With a graceful movement, she slashed away her foe, her blade cutting her foe's body, sending him tumbling into the abyss below to be engulfed by shadow.

But her foe rose from the darkness, the black monstrosity even larger than before. And no longer clothed in black, he was hidden in gold, a statue of excess and power.

A golden-haired monster stared at the warrior-princes s evilly, dwarfing her in both size and power. King. General. Archer. The golden-haired servant knew many names, but somehow, the warrior-princess knew just the name for that creature. Evil.

"You were never a challenge. You're a toy, meant to be used and broken, until you serve the TRUE king."

The warrior-princess, defiant as always, slashed at the giant. Her sword, the golden sword of victory, tore at the golden-warrior's armor. Sparks flew as vainly, Excalibur sought to cut the armor.

"Ha. Know your place!"

He batted her sword away easily, as if swatting away a fly. The warrior flew into the distance, only to be caught by chains, her arms behind her back. The chains wrapped around her body, constricting her movement, crushing the armor until the warrior could barely breathe.

"What you do not give freely," the golden-haired enemy said, as he neared her, a dangerous glint in his eyes, "I will take by force. You did not stop me before, and you cannot stop me now."

He reached towards her dangerously once more.

The warrior's head sank in defeat. The chains melted away along with her consciousness, dissolving in the pool of her dreams.

_Funny, _Saber thought._, _as she felt her body let go of life._ I didn't think Servants dreamt at all._

It was night.

Saber woke up in an unfamiliar place.

For any normal human being, the experience of waking in a place so alien might've shocked them into a dull sense of feeling, but Saber was not human. Calmly, she looked around, wondering why it was so dark.

"Ah, you are awake, Saber-san."

Rin was sitting by the corner of the room. She had been reading a book, patiently waiting for Saber to acquaint herself with her surroundings before talking to her. A cup of tea was gently stewing on the table, and the candle she used as a light flickered as she put it out, and turned on the lights.

"I would've opened the lights sooner, but you were rather peaceful in your sleep, Saber-san," Rin said gently. "If you don't mind, I took the liberty of changing you into more comfortable clothes, although, I didn't touch your armor at all."

She smiled slightly.

Saber nodded. That was why she was in a robe. She didn't recall ever wearing it, but underneath the robe was her armor still. Whoever had dressed her had simply put the clothes on top of her armor almost as a courtesy, and it appears Rin had done it.

"Thank you," Saber said. "Not only for this, but for saving me."

Rin smiled back. "It's nothing to worry about, Saber-san. If you hadn't gone from the Church so fast, though, we might've been able to avoid the whole fight with that… monster."

Saber's face took on a darker shade, as if remembering the fight with the monster.

"You already had a Servant. You're already a Master. I did not think that you would have needed to talk to me."

"Saber-san, I actually do."

Rin put down the book she had on the table. Her eyes glinted dangerously.

"Do you know what happened to your master?"

Saber shook her head. "I left him when he gave up his Command Seals. I assume he went home."

"He didn't, Saber-san. He never came home in the first place."

"What—?"

"Emiya Shirou did not come to school today," Rin said frankly, "nor the days before it. You've been asleep for quite a while, Saber-san, and Shirou has been gone all that time."

"Did you hurt him at all?" Saber was shocked that RIn would ask her that, but there was no doubt Rin was serious in her question. The glare she gave Saber would've turned a mortal into stone, such was the intensity. "I understand if you stole his essence to… give yourself more time to find a new master… but if you did…"

"Never!" Furiously, Saber stood up. "He was whole when I left him, and I would not hurt an innocent. On my honor as a knight."

She raised her right hand, and placed it across her heart.

Then, Rin smiled. "I had suspected as much…."

Archer appeared beside her. "She is as honorable as she appears," he nodded. He leaned back against the wall; apparently, he had been there to safeguard his master from a furious Servant's assault. Rin had been expecting a burst of rage, followed by an attack.

"Forgive me, Saber-san… I had to ask." Rin apologized, yet her face was as straight as before, an enigma at work behind her relatively smiling face.

Saber shook her head. "I took no offense from that, but I must know. What did you mean by him not appearing in school? Couldn't he have simply been sick?"

"I thought as much. But the Emiya Residence was... empty, Saber-san."

"Empty?'

"There was no trace of anyone being there for some time, if at all. On top of that," Rin said, leaning forward, "there were… news… the day, when we found you"

Archer scoffed. "Apparently, there was a large amount of blood scattered near one of the sidewalks. Almost four litres was approximated to have been lost; whoever lost that much blood, would've lost their life."

"And," continued the white-haired Servant, "blood was sprayed acoss the walls, on one of the lampposts, extending almost sixty meters from the starting point. Whoever did that was a monster… or someone very righteously angry."

"Which was why we had to suspect you, even a little," Rin said. "We didn't know if you had done it... Or, more importantly, if you knew who did it."

"I would never do it. Never."

Rin nodded. "Which is why I want to ask, how are you feeling? Do you still lack energy?"

Saber shook her head. "No. I am stronger than before. Not yet at full strength, but strong enough."

Rin smiled a real smile, "Then it worked."

"What did?"

Rin opened her hand, and showed three jewels, red as blood. They were beautiful to behold, but Saber could feel an empty, hollow presence residing in their core, as if something had once filled it before, only to be drained.

"I couldn't let you disappear without asking you, Saber-san. So… I took a gamble."

She scattered the jewels on the floor, where the fell with a thud on the carpet. "These jewels used to hold power, power I had held unto for a long time. They're energy reserves, similar to mobile mana containers… And I used three of them to power you up, Saber-san."

Saber's mouth opened in response. No words came out.

"That is… very noble of you," Saber finally said. "Allow me to repay you!"

Immediately, Saber went on one knee, bowing her head. "As a knight, I am bound to you for now. This power," she said, clenching her fist, feeling the energy travel through her veins, "was rightfully yours. I must repay you for it."

Rin turned her head away, blushing a little. She rolled her eyes. "It wasn't noble," she muttered. But she nodded.

"Then help me find out what happened to Shirou."

Archer scoffed.

Rin stared side-ways at him.

"He should've been protected, Archer. Whoever had done it broke a rule in the Holy War. It's only right we find out."

Archer shrugged helplessly. "We have no leads, we know nothing except that he has gone missing, and all we have is the word of a Masterless Servant that she did not touch him. If we're ever going to find something, I suggest we do it from where we last saw him."

"The Church then. We have to ask Kotomine Kirei about why he didn't do his job," Rin said grimly. Saber nodded.

"Then I will join you…"

"Rin," the black haired girl smiled. "Call me Rin."

"Rin, then. I will repay my debt in blood, Rin."

_And I will find whoever did that to him. Even if he wasn't my Master for long, _Saber thought, _he didn't deserve death._

* * *

Author's Note:

I'm reuploading chapter 2 because it was such a mess QQ.

=-= This Chapter was similar to the last one.

People have asked me if Shirou has died. As of now, I have a use for him 8D So no, he's not dead… but from what I plan to do with him, perhaps it would be easier =-=

Hope you enjoyed it. Gao gao!

~TalkToMoon


	5. Intermission -- Berserker

**Intermission**

The creature knew of no name that it could call its own. Indeed, it needed none. The deeds it had done were more than enough to characterize it; had surpassed both the songs and the stories that man had given in honor of it, that mere words could not mimic its grandeur.

That is not to say that the creature had done only good deeds in its life. It was not dictated by black or white, but a dull, dull grey that lived inside itself. It was not even a personal moral compass that had dictated its actions. It did what it pleased, living a life of both heroism and villainy, a golden life tarnished by the chains of royalty and the dreams of demi-godhood that had in the end proven to be both its undoing, and its creation.

But, just like before, it was being led down a path that it had not chosen.

Certainly, to ask it if it wanted this, it would agree; fighting was what it did best. Rippling muscles bulged under tight, lean skin, and feral intelligence, close to a wolf or a lion, glinted in its eyes, sparkling with madness and hunger.

Yet no matter how drunk it was on blood and pain, perhaps it would not have approved of this. A small part inside itself, sunk within the folds of anger and madness, cried out, the hero locked within the cages of its madness, weeping.

But a hand patted its giant form, and it was pleased.

"Good job, Berserker."

The monster nodded in approval. It was a fitting title. Berserker.

With a roar, he swept his weapon. He tore down the walls, and crushed its stone between his fingers. He ripped the gate off its hinges, throwing it aside and letting it fly off into the air, to land with a crash.

The lamp posts flickered.

"Y…. yaah!"

A small scream. Feminine, weak. The small voice excited the monster, igniting echoes of lust and anger into it. He stared at it, his eyes glowering with dark energy.

"Ohhh. Onee-san, what are you doing here?"

Footsteps. The soft tap of a light girl's shoes on the pavement, contrasting with the frantic pace of a woman's on the street.

"I was hoping we wouldn't be seen — "

— the monster howled with fury at the slight, echoing its master's disapproval —

"— but at least Onii-chan wouldn't be alone, then, right?"

The monster swept past Ilya's small form, descending on the fleeing woman. Another scream, this time more guttural, more livid with fear.

A smash, then a triumphant roar.

"Heehee!" Ilya spun on her toes, smiling.

"At least you won't be alone, Onii-chan," she said to herself. In her hands, she hugged a small stuffed toy. She had just gotten it recently; the fur was beginning to tear away, and one of its eyes were missing. She stared at it blankly, smiling, then pinched its button nose with a loving smile.

"Right, Kuma Onii-chan?"

"We're going to have so much fun with her!"

The stuffed bear began to shiver, and cry.

The monster saw it all and was pleased.

* * *

**Author's Note:**

And we're back!

Hello! I've been having trouble with my papers and class, so I took a short break from Fate/Alternate!

Rest assured, we're back, and hopefully, I might be able to post another chapter soon :]

Thank you for the support!

I hope you enjoyed the small intermission I put, a foreshadowing of what is to happen soon :D

~ TalkToMoon


	6. Chapter 4: King? Fiend?

**- Saber:**

There was a vulgar stench in the air, a sickening, horrid smell that curled Saber's stomach. It was there for an instant, making Saber twist her face in surprise and nausea, and then it was gone.

Rin looked at her a little puzzled, head bent at the side.

"What's the matter?"

"It's nothing."

"I see…"

Saber shook her head, willing it away.

A flash of red.

Saber reflexively jumped backwards, alert;

She saw it this time, instead of smelling it; a hulking monstrous form illuminated in the lamplight.

She blinked in surprise. There was nothing there.

There were no lamps near them. The forest path was barely illuminated by the lanterns, and these were thick and heavy-set, unlike the thin street lamps she saw in her vision.

"Saber! What's wrong?"

Rin poised herself, looking around. Archer appeared, his eagle-eyes scanning the surroundings.

Silence.

"A false alarm," Archer scoffed. He promptly disappeared with a flash, taking spirit form once more.

"Could this be the effect of the mana transfer, I wonder?" Rin mused to herself. She looked at Saber, curious. Then she hesitated, and continued walking.

Saber scowled. There was something at work here. It was definitely not mana loss. Her limbs felt full of power, and her energy was at its peak, at least from now.

_But what was that I just saw?_

She put her hand to her chest, pounding it a few times with her right fist. Her heart thudded in time, a steady drum's beat fueling a warrior's heart. Saber breathed a deep sigh, then followed Rin.

**~ Rin:**

There was something wrong with Saber, Rin knew. The Servant looked around with shifty eyes, scanning the surroundings, ever alert.

"Archer, watch her," Rin whispered to her invisible companion. She could feel the white-haired Servant nod.

And so Saber was watched the whole trip towards the Church; she was none the wiser, for Saber was too distracted. At times, her face would grimace, as if in pain or discomfort. At times, her posture would stiffen, as if her body was expecting a heavy blow.

Before long, Rin had enough. The paranoid, jittery movements of the Servant made her feel uncomfortable. Saber was a powerful Servant. If she sensed something, or felt something wrong, it would be better to deal with the problem immediately, then try to solve it later, when the solution might be too late.

With a shake of her head, she stared at Saber.

"Tell me, what's the matter?" she asked, taking the lead.

Without hesitation, she brought her hand to Saber's forehead, ignoring the small yelp of surprise. Saber's eyes, wide in surprise, shown a bright emerald green, clear and resolute.

"Nothing overt," Rin said to herself. Idly, she palmed Saber's face, feeling the soft skin beneath her fingers. No fever. The skin felt fine. The Servant's eyes were clear. The Servant was probably at full strength.

So what was wrong?

It was only then that she realized her face was mere inches from the Servant.

She pulled back, then stopped. Her cheeks burned a little from embarrassment.

"So? How do you feel?" Rin asked, impatiently tapping her feet. She couldn't look Saber directly after violating her personal space, but she felt she had to assert her authority, if only to feel less shame at having done something so bold. "You've been distracted the whole time. The Church is close-by; if you feel weak, we need to settle it now."

"After all," she reasoned, gaining back her confidence as the discomfort faded, "who knows what we'll find? And I'd rather much trust you, Saber-san."

"It's nothing," Saber said...

And then her eyes squinted off into the distance, staring into space.

**- Saber:**

Saber saw the monster stand before her. Rippling muscles and tightly packed arms. Grim face. A snarling mouth. A giant of a man.

She saw the monster draw its weapon, a great axe-sword, a monstrosity as twisted as the wielder. The giant creature swung, its weapon cleaving into the ground.

With a quick dodge, she moved as fast as she could…

And crashed into Rin, who stared at her in disbelief.

**~ Rin:**

"Saber! Saber! Get yourself together!"

Rin shook her by her shoulders. The Servant's eyes stared into space, and with a growing sense of horror, Rin saw the light fade from the Servant's eyes. The emerald lights lost their clear purpose, fading away, and before Rin could shake Saber once more, Rin sailed into the air, her arms flailing with surprise as Saber sent her flying with a careless backhand.

With a burst of speed, Archer launched himself into the air. He caught his Master easily, then set her down. Rin moved away, her body aching just from that simple move. She moved back, her arms clutching her chest, and Archer took the front, his calm form standing in front of both of them.

By then, Saber was fuming. The weapon she had summoned, her invisible sword, trembled, gushing with torrents of air and whirlwind. The crazed servant scared Rin. Not because of her power, of which Rin knew, there was plenty of, but because, for a second, she thought she saw the Servant's eyes turn from emerald to crimson.

Oh yes, there was madness in Saber's eyes. That much, Rin was sure of, as she watched Saber go into a mixture of spasms and twitches.

With a smirk, Archer summoned his own two swords, his body relaxing as he settled into his fighting form.. "So the dog bites its master's hand?" he smirked.

With a cry, Saber charged. The air exploded in a frightful torrent of speed.

Archer fell back, giving ground. His twin swords carved skillful arcs into the air, alternating between parrying and attacking, thrusting past Saber's defenses, looking for weak spots, the blades twisting and stabbing like thunder and wind.

There were none. Saber tore through both blades with ease, her sword sending the weapons backward. One of Archer's blades flew into the air. Another. And Saber thrust for a killing…

Only to have both blades reappear beside him, parrying the sword in an X form. Archer could feel the seething wind of the invisible blade almost bite into this chest, a whirlwind waiting to eviscerate him and tear the life out.

A flurry of bolts flew from the side, momentarily distracting Saber, and Archer kicked her back, putting ground between them. He threw both his swords at the stunned Servant, and summoned two more, and threw them as well. The four blades sang a song of steel as Saber easily deflected them, and took the offensive once more.

Rin cursed out loud. Her Gandr was not enough to distract the mad servant.

"If it comes to this," she muttered, hesitant. She'd used her jewels to power Saber up; that means that she herself could use more gems to unpower her. Since the same energy inside the jewels resided in Saber's body, then it would be a simple matter to short circuit the Servant, and stun her long enough for Archer to win.

But at what cost?

She was down to eight.

How many more would she use to power down this Servant?

How many more would she have to sacrifice to kill this once-ally, when the true fight hadn't even begun?

Archer was weakening fast. The wound Saber had given him in the Emiya Manor had not yet been fully healed, and it was evident here. The brave Servant was weakening, not overtly, but just enough. His moves were slower, his parries not as strong, the heaving of his chest starting to show.

"Archer!" Rin cried, stunned. Archer had slipped; his blades had moved too slowly. They both flew from his hands into the air, knocked off by Saber's ferocious attack. His hands above his head, Archer too was stunned to react.

Saber had him.

The Servant had the sword pressed against the Archer's throat. The invisible blade cut into the skin, drawing blood. Archer scowled… then grinned.

"So this is how it is…" he muttered, defeated. Even in death, Archer was defiant. He would die here, Rin knew, and then, so would sh.

Time froze.

Rin grasped the jewels In her hand, the magics tingling through her body as she turned her energy on Saber. Now or never!

With a shout, Rin summoned the energy in her palm. Her hands glowed a shining white, and she pointed it at Saber.

A beam of light shot at Saber, momentarily distracting her. Archer jumped backwards, but Saber lunged, and with a horrified thought, Rin realized she wouldn't make it.

_I'm too slow!_ Rin thought.

But then, Saber smiled.

Under the moon's light, the frail form of the Servant-King was illuminated. A lonely form, disheveled and alone. The thrust she aimed, she swung wildly, and now, there she stood, her sword pointed at the ground, both her hands on the hilt.

A noble king facing death. A noble, dying king.

"Do it, Rin-sama."

She said. Her hands struggled against themselves. Saber was fighting, not against Archer now, but against herself. The Servant's eyes shone red , red as blood, red as the blood that trickled down Archer's throat, red as the moon that stared down at all three of them under that starless, moon-lit night.

"Do it!"

She shouted. Fluctuating colours of crimson and emerald fought across Saber's eyes, and horrendous spasms took control of her body once more. The Servant was losing control.

**- Saber:**

The pain, the intense agony Saber felt, was horrifying.

Her limbs felt like they were on fire, her body tingling with the flames of anger and rage. She was no longer a warrior. She was a monster, a thing to be feared. She was death incarnate, a goddess of war, a tyrant of blood and bones.

But her pride reasserted itself. The pride of a King flowed through her veins, usurping control from the rampaging beast. Royalty would not fall to beasts and savagery, and so with her own inner strength she'd recovered just enough…

But she didn't know for how long. Saber fell to the ground, her breath ragged, her body hurt.

A figure stood over her, draping her in shadow.

"Please," she whispered. "Let me die a warrior, and not as a monster."

She didn't know what came over her.

"I'm sorry," she whispered once more. She closed her eyes. In the darkness of her mind, she could feel the rage take over her once more, and she hoped it would end soon.

A shift on the ground.

Yes.

It's over.

But a hand slapped her face. Rage flowed once again, and Saber howled, staring upwards.

Rin angrily stared back at her, her hands at her sides, her eyes tingling with fury, her beautiful face twisted in righteous anger.

"Wake up," the master said.

"Wake up, Saber!"

**~ Author's Note:**

Saber's madness, is what I'd call this chapter, and in the next one, I'll make a reveal as to why. (though, hint hint, it's got something to do with mana, Shirou, and Buhh-suhhhh-kuhh/Shirou)

Stay tuned! It won't be too long (hopefully) but it's all planned now :3

And next chapter, we have a guest star! Kuma-san, Ilya's new little pet, will soon appear. And while he's technically a new character, he's based off an old one because of how this story will work :D

Oh, and yes, Ilya's a sadist xD She's always been, but I want to make her into the yandare we all know and love.

Hope you enjoyed! Comments, reviews, yadayada, are, as always, appreciated!

~ TalkToMoon


	7. Chapter 5: Hope

The pain in Saber's nerves disappeared as she regained her senses. Slowly, she let her weapon dissipate into the wind. Her cheeks where Rin had slapped her burned with embarrassment and regret.

"Rin," she breathed. Her shoulders slumped, heavy with labor. The pain was gone, but an intense weariness filled her. The fight drained her, however fast it was, and the acrobatics she did only served to highlight the fact she did not continually receive mana from her master.

"Are you alright now, for real?" Rin asked, guarded. The master sighed in relief as Saber nodded slowly, but the stern look on her face remained. Saber cringed under her gaze, a combination of both world-weariness, and an intense shame that burned within her, for having turned against her ally.

But Rin looked at her gently, then, seeing the weakness in Saber's eyes.

"Now, what's wrong, Saber? A Noble Spirit who swore with her word would not turn against it," Rin said softly. "There must be something wrong with you for you to go mad like that."

A heartbeat.

The anger started to reassert itself again.

What does she know? Saber began to think bitterly, the vile thoughts pooling up in her thoughts. But with a visible effort, she forced it down.

"What did you see, Saber?" Rin asked, worried.

"I saw," Saber began, "a giant bathed in darkness… A little girl, playing with corpses … A small bear by the corner…"

And red, she almost added. The rage was indeed in her. It was not completely gone. Not yet. It hid in her system, and Saber knew it was only waiting for a chance to emerge.

"You saw all that…?"

"Yes… That and so much more. A lifetime's worth of images burned into my eyes in just a few moments."

"Images…" Rin thought absent mindedly… "Images burned into your eyes... of giants and girls."

"And something else…"

"What of?"

"A vision."

"Of?"

Saber could not go on. Her mind was in a confused state, the pictures in her head flashing in painful bursts of white as she struggled to remember.

"Of Shirou…" she said finally. She saw Shirou. Saber knew she did. Or at least, she could feel it. Despite her madness, she knew she saw Shirou.

"Can you describe it, Saber? From beginning to end? Tell me what you saw."

Beside Rin, Archer looked a little alarmed. But Rin held up her hand, silencing his objections.

"If it'll help find Shirou," she said, "then we must ask."

Saber swallowed, and began.

* * *

The little girl comes, and goes as she pleases.

Sometimes, she arrives with a smile.

Other times, she arrives with a frown.

Either way, my limbs burn.

The heat of my phantom limbs ache with memory.

My gut heats up in the faint memory that it once held food.

My arms ache.

My legs ache.

I feel pain.

I feel hurt.

It ends, sometimes, when she is gone.

But that only makes it worse.

The dull throbbing in my limbs begins again at the memory of the girl.

I know I don't own these arms.

I know I don't own these legs.

But they burn nonetheless.

Soon, the girl will come again, and the hurt will start anew.

The girl will come again, and bring her giant protector once more.

And again, her monster will smite me down.

* * *

In soft, barely heard words, Saber had spoken, as if the mighty Servant who had come within a hair's breadth of ending her, was afraid.

And in the end, Rin too was frightened.

What Saber had told Rin was unheard of.

What Saber had told Rin was unacceptable.

What Saber had told Rin was impossible.

It described a connection that surpassed the rules of Master and Servant.

From Saber's story, it seems that they were still connected. But this connection was almost intimate, a sharing of senses, not just of energy. It went beyond friendship, beyond the bond of lovers. It went into an almost sharing of the self, an almost duality of souls.

_That must mean the mana Shirou had given Saber must not have entirely run out. Rin thought. That or they have a deeper connection somewhere, which allowed Saber these visions. _

_Perhaps my own mana is being consumed in place of Shirou's,_ Rin idly mused. _Perhap's Shirou's and mine are consumed differently, and while my mana served as a charger, Shirou's served as a battery. That could be why Saber still has ties to Shirou; after all, if the basis of Saber's form ran on Shirou's mana, then that could be a plausible explanation as to why they were still connected._

But all ties were cut; there should be no reason for them to still be connected. The master had left the Servant. The Servant had gone on Rin's mana now, not Shirou's. It would be foolish to think of it as such.

But it seemed less and less foolish the more she thought about it.

_How could it be that Master and Servant, though they were no longer bound to each other, were still connected?_

_Maybe this is the effect of not having a consistent energy source?_

_Maybe Saber is indeed going mad from mana starvation._

_No_, Rin thought, _the mana I gave Saber should've lasted more. She is weak, but Saber is not fading away right now. She is only tired, and the effect of mana loss is weakness into oblivion, not madness into rage._

_Could Saber not be a Saber then, but Berserker in reality?_

Perhaps…

Rin shuddered.

It was certainly possible, but that would make a little sense. The displays of madness did not start until now. Had she been Berserker, wouldn't she be wild with rage, not just a while ago, but all the time?

That means that she is indeed a Saber-class Servant.

And indeed means that something (an outside force) was the cause for her rampage.

When faced with impossible situations, one must choose the most logical and most plausible. And as every other option was exhausted, then no matter how far-fetched the final choice is, it must be true.

And only Saber linked with Shirou made sense, especially if what Rin feared was true; that Shirou was taken by someone. A crazed manic, to be sure, but someone who was a magi, just as she was, and someone who owned a Servant, just she did.

"Saber, you still have a connection to Shirou," Rin finally said at last. Saber looked back at her in surprise

"You mean, I'm not going mad?"

"Perhaps not. I'm not entirely sure myself, but it would seem logical to assume that. No matter how much we study magic, it always has a way of surprising even the most of skilled of Magi."

"Then can we use this to find him?"

"Find Shirou?"

"Yes. Can we use the link I have with..." Saber's eyes flashed briefly red, then returned to normal, "… with Shirou… to find him?"

Rin thought carefully. Yes, it was certainly possible.

"Yes," she declared at last, after a long pause, "but it's dangerous, not only to you, but to me and Archer as well."

"Are the risks that high?"

"From what we know, Shirou's certainly not supplying you with his mana. You almost faded away before we found you. But something's connecting you two, and we can use that to track him down. By simply following the connection to its source, we can easily find him, and even then, it is an extremely tedious and risky proposition."

"However," Rin warned, "to track Shirou, you'll have to be constantly leaking energy. It will make you a beacon of energy, and that means not only will you be easy to track, but sicne you're bleeding your mana away, you're shortening your current span right now, especially since you receive no mana on your own."

"And it's not going to be as easy as simply getting him, then leaving," Rin huffed.

"Because whatever has Shirou isn't going to let him go, right?"

"Exactly. Your visions tell of a girl, and a giant, and if your fits of rage are any sign…"

"You're afraid it might be strong?"

I'm afraid you might turn on us.

Rin bit back the harsh remark. "Yes. It must be strong. They must be strong. If anything, they are at least monsters, to have caused so much pain to Shirou, and have it mentally transfer to you in your time of need."

Archer scoffed. The white-haired Servant had been listening the whole time. He leaned against a lamp post, his face an unreadable mask.

"The biggest challenge we have is assessing the enemy," Archer said. "We would've been fine before your actions, Saber, but understand that what you did, whether it was voluntary or not, has consequences."

"I know that," Saber nodded.

"Oh? You do? Then why did you attack me?" Archer said coolly. "Someone in control, someone with strength, would've realized it's a losing prospect to fight one's ally."

"Yet you still couldn't control yourself, and attacked. You've made me weaker than before." Archer flexed his arms. "And you've made yourself weaker because of it."

"After all," he continued, "whose energy did you just waste trying to kill me? Starts with an R, and ends with an N, if you wanted clarification."

Saber scowled.

"Scowl all you want. I'm being realistic. Now, we're not even at half the strength we should be."

To demonstrate, Archer threw one of his swords at Saber. Saber batted it away without a second thought.

"See? If you were stronger, if you had even half of the energy that Rin gave you left," Archer said, explaining, "you would've have dodged that. You'd have made me pay by being faster, and leaving me with no time to react. But you have little energy to expend, so you try compensating with strength."

"Yes, you beat me, and had almost killed me. But now, is a different story. With your energy gone, how much fight would you have left in you?"

"But I thought we were going to look for Shirou!" Saber replied.

"Yes, we will. But we won't do it as fighters. We will do it as observers."

"Observers?"

"Yes. If it is as strong as you fear, and we are as weak as we believe, then a straight up attack is not to our benefit. Rather, it would be better to observe our foe, find its weakness, and exploit it."

Rin nodded in approval. "Yes, that would solve our troubles."

Inside, Rin was sighing heavily. The Grail War had not yet started (arguably, it did, before Shirou backed down) and here she was, with a weakened Servant, and in a temporary alliance with another Servant who might in the end turn against her.

And all for the sake of a boy she had saved once before, and she would be saving again.

Jeez, that idiot, Rin thought to herself.

Absently, Rin groped for something at her neck, then stopped herself. The pendant was gone, she knew, but she still found that she missed its familiar weight around her neck. She had used the power inside the pendant before, to bring life back to Shirou's torn body.

And here he is, in trouble again. How many times to I have to save him?

"So, it's agreed then. We look for Shirou, but we observe him, and his captors, at least for now. I will try to dim your energy loss, but you're going to lose a lot of your energy. Do you understand?"

"I understand the risks. I will take it."

"I see…" Rin quieted down a bit. "You are a loyal Servant, Saber."

"Loyalty is the foundation of honour. If one loses loyalty to god, king, or country, then what does one have left, except a lonely, empty life?"

Rin nodded at that. A noble sentiment, truly fitting for one such as Saber.

"Well… let's get started," Rin said. She held out her hand, giving it to Saber. "Give me your hand. I will temporarily link with you, find the connection to Shirou, and amplify it. Then we can start tracking him."

Saber's hand was soft, and warm, surprisingly unblemished despite the fact that she was a warrior. Swordsmen weren't known for their softness hands, but Saber's hand was like a feather to Rin's touch.

Rin closed her eyes, concentrated her magic. Her eyes flared with power, as slowly, she began her spell.

* * *

Ilya felt something itch at the back of her mind.

She looked to and fro, to the left, and to the right. She turned her gaze upwards, she led her eyes downwards, and saw nothing.

"Is there something there, I wonder?"

She thought to herself.

Then she shrugged. The bear doll she held flopped futilely around in her grasp. "Kuma-san, Kuma-san!" she started to sing.

She walked along the sidewalk as she did this.

"Should we find you more friends?" She asked her bear.

The bear gave no reply, but Ilya nodded in approval, her face splitting into a joyous grin.

"Great idea! Heehee!"

She skipped along, happily, as she dragged her toy along with her. The bear's limbs scraped the ground, but she didn't care.

"Berserker!"

The giant appeared without hesitation. It lumbered in her wake, its beady eyes alight at the sound of its name.

"Why don't you find Kuma-san some friends?"

The creature promptly disappeared. For a moment, Ilya was worried that her Servant would cause a scene, but she was confident in her power, assured over the mastery she held over the giant. The iron will of her magic would control her Servant even from afar.

It would be a pity that she couldn't play with them, but Berserker would be finding more friends, she was sure.

In the gloom, Berserker, the giant, the monster, searched.

Its huge form was not suited for stealth, it knew, but the magic flowing through its limbs allowed it to be as light or as heavy as it would please.

Surprised, Berserker felt a tug at its heart strings, a soft pull. With a snort, it followed its guts, its feet making soft steps on the pavement. It passed cars, street lamps, with nary a worry. Any who saw it, it knew, would be crushed under its giant hands.

A soft pattering of steps.

Berserker's first instinct was to crush it and bathe in its blood. But, surprisingly, Berserker ducked into the gloom and hid in the shadows. Its dark skin made the perfect camouflage.

Hesitantly, even in the darkness, Berserker wanted to reach out, and crush the life out of it.

But it stopped.

A young man passed by, unaware of the closeness of his death.

Berserker turned to follow, but the scent was upon it again. Ilya had wanted playmates, it knew. What better gift than this?

Like a bloodhound, it stalked down the path, and its eyes registered two figures.

They were almost beautiful to its eyes.

A dark haired girl in red, the shifty eyes scanning the darkness, yet to see Berserker's cruel form. And the other beside it, a blonde beauty in plain clothes, a queen in peasant's clothing.

The perfect toys for his master.

Berserker grinned, then stopped.

A third presence.

It looked upwards, to the sky.

A grim countenance. A warrior in the sky, an archer in the night. Hair as white as light, flowing in the darkness. And in the warrior's hands, a wicked bow, an arrow notched and ready to fire.

* * *

As it turned out, the hardest part of managing Saber's mana was ebbing the mana leak. When Rin started her spell, the resulting mana leak from Saber was tremendous. She saw the Servant visibly pale and weaken, and thinking quickly, Rin chanted a counter spell helped to soften the blow. Rin's own hand, clasping Saber's tightly, made the pain the Servant experienced bearable.

The power that flowed from her body was a heady scent, clouding Rin's senses.

This is what true power is, Rin thought. The Servant's mana was a form of refined energy far beyond what she thought, but, persevering, she delved through the pure energy, and tried to find a source that exuded outwards.

She found it, a thin alien veil of energy, unlike Saber's own. It was mana, to be sure, but different. To the trained Magus, it was a different source of energy, a different shade of colour, a different kind of light, and, exploiting it, Rin began to trace it backwards to its source.

Abruptly, Rin shut off the connection. Saber weakened rapidly and her labored breathing sounded was shallow and harsh.

"I found it," she told Saber. "I found Shirou."

YAAAAAAAY I finally wrote something (again) 8D

* * *

It's been a while. Mostly because of school.

I edited a few chapters because I saw mistakes (If you reread them, I didn't wanna drop the ball with a certain Yellow Haired Servant, so ya, I fixed it already ^_^)

I also listened to comments, and such. I'll be making the next chapters a little easier on the flow.

This chapter is rather mehh in my opinion, but I wanted to take a break from the action and ease the flow of the story more :3

Sorry it was so late _

Story progress: Edited chapter 1, chapter 2, chapter 3. Made chapter 5:D

Hopefully I don't keep you all waiting on the next one. I have the story, but not the time.

Cheers! Leave a review, feedback or anything if you want.

~ TalkToMoon


	8. Chapter 6: Archer

It would be a lie to say that the Servant, Archer, was a fool. He was, in fact, quite smart. Smarter then what would most people would chalk up for him.

He wasn't so much a genius in the academic sense, though. No. Contrary to what high-school and college professors would say, Archer possessed a keen intellect, and a cunning eye that was beyond the scope of measurement. His intelligence did not stem from books, but rather from an animalistic, almost instinctive feel he had for the world around him.

His manipulation of his surroundings far surpassed the knowledge of any conventional woodsman or ranger that might've existed in the time before, when magic was respected, and man had not yet crawled away from the forests and into the cities. In fact, it meant far more than any knowledge mere mortals might've acquired in their lifetimes. He was, after all, a Servant.

The way his dark grey eyes would slowly and silently scan the surroundings, the way his calm, collected form would sleekly blend into the shadows and meld into the darkness was simply a credit to him. People might shiver at the way his eyes glared at them, but when they look, they would see nothing. They would not see the man who stood in the dark, just beyond the light, a haughty smirk on his face. They would not see the red cloaked man standing tall and proud, almost in plain sight of them, yet hidden just beyond where their senses could not reach.

He was a paradox in itself. Archer had realized that just then, as the bowstring in his hand grew taut.

Perhaps some font of memory sparked in him. A forgotten existence. A faint shade of remembrance loomed over him, for he grimaced ever so slightly.

He was a knight of the bow, who in the end, wielded swords. He was less of a knight, and more of what people would call a rogue.

"Well, why would that matter? I live and die as I please, don't I?" he whispered to himself.

He remembered what the haughty girl had said when he had first appeared. He was surprised himself. From shadows and nothingness, the magics the girl had summoned had conjured him into existence, to come crashing down on her living room.

How he must've looked then. The white hair flaring against the broken backdrop, his legs comfortably leaning against some rubble as he reclined on the broken sofa.

And the girl had kept cool at first, hiding away the anger he knew she felt.

_Rin: "So, what are you?"_

_Archer: "Those are your first words? I guess I've been called to a terrible Master."_

But that didn't stop him from poking at her. He didn't do it out of a childish desire to see this girl fume and rage. No. He wanted to see his limits. Archer was testing the water with his Master. She must've been powerful to summon a Servant. He wanted to test her and prod her, to know her weaknesses and strengths, and, yes, to see if she was worthy of being a Master, or if she was simply a burden who overestimated her worth.

He'd answered so sarcastically then, and so haughtily.

_Archer: "Hm? Are you angry? No, I will respect your position, of course. I am called to help my Master win after all._

_"My victory is yours, and I shall give you everything that I earn in this fight. You shouldn't have any complaints about this, right?"_

_"You wouldn't be able to use the Command Spell anyway. Well, you can leave the rest to me. You just worry about your own safety."_

And what she done, this wildfire girl?

_Rin: "I'm pissed! Fine if you say that, I'll use it!"_

He could've laughed. The girl had actually used one of the command seals to make him listen to her.

It had been ineffectual at the end, but the display she made, the risk she took, all that just made him respect her more.

She was a Master who moved with both heart and mind, he could see. A Master who not only had ideals, but also the brains to make them come true.

And what did Archer have?

Nothing left. He was a broken man. The memories of his past life had flooded into him, and when he looked back at it, he was filled with derision and sadness. How naïve he had been to live his life that way.

All he had left with him now were two swords. The twin swords, Kanshō and Bakuya, the swords he could pull into existence and were to him, as light as air. But now, they weighed heavy in his thoughts.

"Archer!"

Was he still a Hero?

He who had the blood of innocents on his hands?

"Archer!"

Or was he simply a lost soul struggling to redeem himself?

"Archer! Return! You can't fight him like that!"

A nagging headache started in his brain. But he shrugged that off.

No time to muse, he thought. There was a fight to be had.

"Don't worry," he looked backward, grinning. "I am the servant you summoned. Naturally, I am the strongest."

He said it with absolute confidence, and trust.

* * *

Perhaps there was something wrong. Ilya furrowed her brow as she thought. Her hands dug deeper into the teddybear she held. Berserker had fought without her acknowledgement, when Ilya was still playing at the earlier scene of carnage they had swathed together. At first, she had chalked that up to a simple bystander who had unluckily seen her Servant walk the streets.

But this was different. Berserker suddenly started leeching extravagant amounts of energy from her, and while she had an almost unlimited supply of mana in her body, Ilya frowned, shrugged it off, and went back to playing with her Kuma-san. But when the energy useage had not stopped, she began to wonder what it was about.

And when she went to her Servant, she suddenly realized, and laughed out loud.

"Berserker, this is what you were using your energy for?"

The hulking monster was scarred in parts of its body, with black scorch marks all over. A few cuts and bruises also marked its chest, but apart from that, it was still the same Berserker Ilya knew and loved.

In contrast, the surroundings were torn to shreds. The street was littered with holes, and there was even an overturned car. A street lamp was broken and shattered, the light fizzing in and out.

And beyond this carnage, the shadow of a man in red.

A man with the bow.

Instantly, Ilya understood. She had fallen into her enemy's trap.

Berserker's shadow stood over her like a protective guardian, a magnificently statuesque king guarding his frail treasure.

She could not move from this spot without using Berserker as a shield, and if she did so, hey prey would escape.

"Servant, Archer?" Ilya said.

The man's stone cold gaze would not move.

"You seem to understand the situation you're in."

"As do you, Servant. What kind of Master would leave you?"

"Why, the Master who knows what's best for her."

The Servant grinned. "I do not wish to fight you, but I will. You know of me, and I know of you. We are equal in footing, but not equal in strength."

"Yes, I am far stronger," Ilya puffed her chest. "Berserker would smash you into bits!"

"But strength does not lead to victory," Archer corrected. The bow he held emphasized that point quite clearly, and the arrow he pointed, glinting fiercely in the sparse light, lent weight to his words.

"We are at an impasse," Archer continued. "If I launch my arrow, and it fails to kill your Servant, I will lose. He will rush me, and I will die."

"But if my Servant attacks first, and fails to stop the launching of the arrow, then I will lose? You won't even be able to hurt him!" Ilya laughed. She was sure of it. This was checkmate for the haughty Servant, and though she could not destroy his Master, at least she could rend this impudent fool limb from limb.

"Oh, but I don't need to kill your Servant."

"Oh?"

"Yes. You forget," the Servant Archer grinned, "I only need to kill you."

Berserker almost rushed forward at that. No one threatened his Master near him, and the deadly rage burned inside his frame. But Ilya kept a cool head. She acknowledged his threat.

"So we are at a stalemate. It would be of no use for your Master for you to die in vain, but if I make a reckless move forward, then I will lose this chess game."

"Correct."

"Then what do you suggest?"

Ilya hugged her bear tightly. The bear was fluffy and warm, inviting, unlike the horrid Servant who had his bow trained on her.

"You back off. And I will as well. There is no need for more blood, little girl."

And at that, Ilya laughed. She drew the white hair from her face back, and her red eyes were like fiery gems under the furrow of her brow.

"You expect me to believe you? Why don't I just kill you right now?"

"Would you take the chance? This is not a game. This is all about skill," Archer tutted, "and in this, I am superior. And if I should fail, and your Servant should fail, would you risk the exposure of this war to the outside world?"

"Fuyuki, the "_Winter Tree,"_ the quiet city, is starting to wake. It would not do for this. My Master has realized this, and has such, withdrawn and left me for rear-guard, knowing that I am more than capable of handling you at this moment."

"Impudent Servant! Do you know who you're talking to?"

"Yes. Another future loser if she continues this… or perhaps a still surviving player of this game, if she takes the offer I am giving."

At that, there was silence.

Certainly, this was an Archer.

And certainly, the class skill of Archer, Independent Action, meant that he could be doing this even without his Master's care.

What that meant for Ilya was that if she were to push through with this deadly game of heads or tails, if she were to make Berserker attack, it would have to be total annihilation wrought on this Servant's head. Slice the head off, and crush the body into the ground, else it might still survive to launch its arrow.

And when Ilya looked at the bow the servant held, she saw not an arrow, but a sword notched into the string, and held against the frame of the bow.

A unique Servant, this one was.

A deadly Servant.

Perhaps a bit too cocky, but the pride was well deserved. This one was a Servant she could not take lightly.

"Then go, Servant Archer, of a Master I do not know," Ilya smiled. "You have proven yourself to be strong, not like Kuma-san here."

She patted her teddy bear on the head, and in an instant, Ilya thought that the Servant tensed unnaturally.

"A bear?"

"Yes, a bear," she giggled. "The fate of a Master who did not know his place."

She smiled almost innocently, a heavenly smile given only by angels to those they favored.

"He didn't know how dangerous the war was. And so, he's now my pet, isn't that right, Onii-chan?"

She simply patted her teddy on the head.

"Goodbye Servant Archer. We shall meet again, and soon. You've just proven to me that my Berserker should crush you first."

With a little skip, she turned, and left. Berserker scoffed and followed his Master, wary of the Archer's movements.

Soon, the residents of Fuyuki would rise again. They would observe the carnage wrought today (the blood spilled, the destroyed lamps and upturned cars) and look upon it with sadness, never knowing the true sadness of their words.

They would look upon what happened with teary eyes and words of encouragement, never knowing that it was all simply a necessary step, a necessary sacrifice, for the power of the Holy Grail.

* * *

HELLO.

I finally wrote a chapter for Archer, because he's bad-ass that way.

Yes, no mention of Saber/Rin in this one. They simply just ran away. And no, I won't spoil the battle xD I might do that some other time. This chapter, I dedicated to exposing the Archer of my story, the haughty, strong bad-ass that I always envision him to be.

As I wrote this chapter, I almost turned it into the Berserker/Archer fight in the Fate route, but luckily, I avoided that. I have plans for both characters, and while it would be fun to see UBW in the middle of the street, that'd be kind of weird, wouldn't you agree? To look out on the street and see a graveyard of swords? xD

Anyway, hope you enjoyed it. The next chapter will also be mostly dialogue as well, and this one, about Rin and Saber (as their presence was sorely missed)

GLHF

If you liked this chapter, like/favorite/review yada yada.

I'll see you guys next time!

~TalkToMoon

Edit: Also, I created the disclaimer of Chapter 1, as well as fixed a few stuff in between Chapters. I also put a book cover sometime before this chapter (it's an edited Fate/Zero background that I turned grey)

I'll probably edit this chapter again when I like it. Thanks again for reading!


	9. Chapter 7: Failure

When Rin was a child, she had broken one of the vases she had at home completely by accident. Looking back on it now, she had understood that she had made a mistake. She had been practicing her magic unsafely. She had whispered the forbidden words to herself in an uncontrollable area and had tried to make the energies manifest when she had not yet mastered it, and as a result, one of the precious vases she had at home had cracked.

She still had the vase somewhere. It was there inside the basement's storage, hidden from prying eyes. When she practiced magic nowadays, she would often look at it and reflect on the mistakes she had made. She would run her hand along the cool china and feel the cracks on it and remember why it was that one of her deceased father's precious antiques had been broken.

It was because she had made a mistake. Rin understood that all too well. She shouldn't have, but she did, and she paid the price.

It was a rather light price in the end. The magic didn't backfire on her. It didn't consume her, as was the case from time to time (most people blamed it on spontaneous combustion, but Rin knew better), but she knew she couldn't get lucky all the time.

It weighed heavily on her during the worst of times, a silent regret that she bore stoically in her heart. She never let it get the best of her, but it was there somewhere, nagging at her. She would imagine her father's stern look and the disappointment alight in the eyes she had not seen since she was a child.

So whenever she looked at the cracked vase, she would vow to try her best never to make a mistake again. She was a magi. She knew all about failures and mistakes

It was through the failure of man that man himself was kicked out from paradise. That was a mistake that she had read about. A life in paradise denied, for want of a fruit.

It was through the failure of her own magic that the vase had cracked. That was a mistake she understood. A crack in the vase's flawless structure, for her measure of pride.

It was through the failure of Rin's own Father that he had not recovered that Grail and died as a result. That was a mistake she could do nothing but accept. A loss of her loved one, for the gamble of eternity.

She understood all that, and yet… mistakes are not easy to fix. Despite her knowing all of these, she could not help but compulsively fail right now, when every bone, every blood cell in her body screamed in abject terror.

She watched, silent, holding the groaning Saber beside her. The blonde Servant was out cold once more, weak and shuddering in her grasp. Saber moaned a little, but Rin could not tear her eyes away from her red Servant as he fought against the giant creature. She would not have believed it with her own eyes. Even if she was Magi, she could not move from that very spot she had hidden in.

Yes, she had seen Servants fight before, but this was different. She was frozen in fear by the great Servant before her. The enemy Servant was a beast. Gigantic. Huge. Muscular. Scary. These were words Rin would've used to describe the creature, but to do so would only undermine it. No words could describe the foe before her.

It took one step forward, then stopped. There was her Archer, his robe flowing in the wind, perched on a lamppost. He grinned, clicking his tongue against the roof of his mouth.

"Yo," he said. He even had the time to wink.

An explosion.

Archer had fired his bow at the monster point blank. Rin saw the the arrow glance off the giant's chest. It took its eyes from her, staring wildly at Archer, and Rin took her chance to pull the weakened Saber away under the cover of darkness.

Madly, Archer's opponent swung its mighty weapon. It was a club, Rin saw. Or an axe? A club axe. The weapon sent the lamppost Archer was on reeling. The metal flew off its hinges, clattering onto the sidewalk, but, elegantly, with almost an insurmountable amount of grace, Archer had leapt off. His feet jettisoned him high into the air, and as gravity took over and he started to fall, he launched two… not three… five…? arrows at his foe. Each arrow made the monster roar, not in agony, but in anger.

Scarcely had Archer landed when the monster rushed him. Its giant shoulder sought to connect with the red Servant's body, and, given the creature's bulk, it would have surely pulverized his skull, servant or no, but like lightning, Archer crouched low and avoided it entirely. His feet carried him far away, and he threw away his bow. His weapon disappeared in a display of bright light, and in its place, his two swords were once more in hand.

But the monster was not off balance. It had expected Archer to dodge, and in its rush, it tore at the sidewalk, sending a chunk of rock hurtling towards Archer. The rock dissipated into dusty air as Archer's blades tore it to shreds. And he moved forward. He stayed low to the ground, his swords drawing thin lines on the street as they tore at the sidewalk. The friction from the blades sent a shower of sparks.

The monster roared and reeled itself for an attack. Its own axe-club drew a deadly figure 8, expecting Archer, but the red Servant instead launched his swords. They swung around the monstrous creature, dancing in the air before colliding together behind his back.

Archer pulled his hands back, and both swords suddenly shifted in mid air right when they were behind the monster. They immediately gravitated towards Archer, crashing into its back. The monster roared, looking behind it, and Archer took his chance to summon more swords and launch it. Three volleys, he launched, the blades crashing into the creature, and on the fourth volley, Archer himself strode in, slashing as his own blades hit the creature from behind. He kicked outward and bounced off the monster's muscular chest before it could react, and landed again on his feet.

He grinned, before he moved forward again, and his deadly dance began once more. He stayed just out of reach of the monster's movements, trying to be one step ahead. He predicted its moves and sent his blades in advance, so every step the monster took was one of raining swords and twirling blades.

He's like a dancer, she thought, stunned. A dancer of swords and steel, dressed not in a tutu, but a flowing red coat. It followed him as he did his dance of death, a deadly dance from which no mortal can withstand.

But even dancers, Rin realized, could fail. Despite Archer's grace and speed and his own capabilities, it could not continue forever. The monster, while only slightly slower than Archer's graceful movements, was still fast as lightning. Archer could not be anything but perfect in his own moves. His every action had to be flawless and without mistake, else the creature's lashing be the end of him, and while the creature could hurt him, the same could not be said if reversed. Archer's actions were not even denting the monster. It came back as furious as before, its berserker rage lunging again and again to tear him to shreds.

When one who has to move flawlessly is pitted against an opponent who has the leeway to move carelessly, only two things can happen. It is either he accomplishes his goal without flaw, without equal, without mistake, without failure, or he makes one mistake, and it's over.

Rin cringed inside as a car was bashed aside. The monster was chasing after her Servant furiously. Its steps gouged the sidewalk. Its attack turned the rock from the ground into shrapnel.

Archer was walking a fine line. It was very much like tight0rope walking with handicaps. The rope was swaying, moved by various gusts of winds. Bombs was ticking at either end, ready to blow the rope and the walker along with it to bits if he was too slow, and flaming hoops were in the way, ready to burn the rope if the walker should either make the rope sag.

Everything was against Archer.

His opponent was not slowing. His opponent was almost as fast as him, just as strong as him, and more durable than him. His opponent was fresh and ready while he himself was weakened already from an old wound Saber gave him.

Would he make the same mistake that Rin knew she herself had made?

Rin clenched her teeth. She was useless. A useless master. She had to hide. She knew that. She could not dent the monster if her servant couldn't dent it. She could use all the gems she had at hand, and she was sure it would only annoy the monster. Her entire's life worth up till now of storing energy, of saving it in precious gems was useless against the truth she had to face.

And that was why she made her mistake. She made it deliberately.

She would be a witness to Archer's glory or demise.

It was only right to see a Knight in his finest hour. Whether he lives or dies in the contest, it is only fitting that the princess who gave him the handkerchief, watch with bated breath. It is only correct that the sponsor, the noble who gave him emblem, sword, shield and horse watch him ride into battle.

And so it was that Rin made her own mistake.

She would not leave her own Knight in battle. It was a mistake she could not help but make. It was the mistake she could not help but make. A risk that results in death, for the price of her stubbornness.

I believe, Archer, I believe. You are the strongest Servant, right? You are, aren't you? Prove me wrong. Prove me wrong that I didn't believe you before. Show to me you are the strongest Servant!

Rin shouted all of this inside, watching as her Servant fought back.

The climax was approaching. It was inevitable. Archer was weakening, but the enemy Servant was not. It was as strong as before, untouched by battle fatigue. Nay, it seemed even stronger, eyes ablaze knowing in fury as it sensed the end was near. It could smell blood in the air, and like a bloodhound, it drooled with lust and greed at the upcoming bloodshed it would reward upon the pesky red gnat that kept poking at it.

Archer slipped and promptly, the axe came crashing down. A sickening crunch. The ground around Archer and the monster was covered in dust.

Rin closed her eyes. Her Servant was gone, she was sure. Nothing could survive that.

"No, no, no, no, no…" she whispered. Archer was gone…? Then she would die now, she was sure as well. She had gambled, and lost. Like Servant, like master, it had seemed. Both had failed in the end…

Her command seal suddenly fizzled to life. She looked at her arm. The single seal was still there, emblazoned on her right hand like a beacon in the dark, and it glowed now, red and crimson, flashing till it was a beacon of white light.

And from the dust cloud came a ray of red light, piercing the darkness.

A shout. A flash of light.

A pulse of energy swept away the dust.

There was Archer, underneath the creature, his feet sinking into the ground, sinking into a crater of stone and earth. His hands were stretched above him, both hands above his head. The axe club was centimeters away from his head…

And in between his hands, and the monster's weapons, a giant flower that bloomed.

"Rho…."

A flower of seven petals, lovely and majestic. It was graceful, yet powerful. Rin could see Archer pour energy and mana into it, and the flower pusled and throbbed.

A graceful flower shield.

"Aias!"

Archer threw his hands into the air. The Rho Aias' petals spun and spun, and with a shriek, the shield exploded into shards of light. The monster was thrown off balance, its weapon flying backwards into the air, and Archer took the chance.

His hands formed together, and his bow formed. He drew his arrow.

"Caladbolg!"

And fired…

And unlike last time, where the arrow glanced off, this once threw the monster back. An explosion pointblank sent the monster reeling.

And where was Archer?

Already tumbling away, notching another arrow. The explosion had not hurt him. A snake does not hurt itself when it bares its fangs. A bull does not gore itself when it charges its horns, and so, the arrow's explosion had been perfect. It put distance between himself and the monster, and it gave him to survive.

He is unlike his master, Rin realized. Or rather, he is like me? We don't make mistakes. Not anymore. Not deliberately.

He had been perfect from the very beginning, Rin realized. And so must I, for my bet paid off. This is not a failure. This is success.

"Servant, Archer?"

A little girl's voice. The monster roared and stood between its master and Archer. Archer was too far to strike with his axe club, but the same could not be said of Archer and his bow. His arrow was drawn and ready, and the monstrous servant stood literally as a wall to its creature.

"What kind of master would leave you?"

Was the master unaware of Rin and Saber, hiding away? Rin could see Archer. She could see the monster shield its master… But she could not see the little girl itself.

But doubtless, the little girl was strong. To have summoned a Servant such as the one Archer faced was a feat in itself.

But, Archer's words echoed in here ears.

"_I am Servant you summoned. Naturally, I am the strongest."_

Truly.

The strongest Servant.

"Why, the master who knows what's best for her."

Archer had been perfect all alone. His plan hadn't been to win, Rin realized. Not like that. His plan had been to survive…

And now, he is playing perfectly once again. It was a game he excelled at. His cockiness, his overbearing pride. His cool calculation.

He truly was Servant Archer, who understood not only the battlefield on the physical level, but also the political level. The thinking man's level.

He had bluffed his way, for his own sake, and his master's and Saber's as well.

"Yes. Another future loser if she continues this… or perhaps a still surviving player of this game."

Archer said it to the monster's master, but his words struck home with Rin as well.

"Yes. No more mistakes," Rin said. "I've been doing this all wrong."

She realized her mistakes.

Realized how she had failed at being a proper master. She had done it all wrong. But Archer bailed her out. Her Servant, the strongest Servant, the Servant of both strength and courage, had made her understand

"No more mistakes."

Rin bit back the sadness in her heart, and the tears in her eyes. It would not do for her Servant to see her tear up like this. It was a sign of weakness. A sign of unworthiness.

This was a time of congratulations.

"Yo, Master," Archer said, nonchalantly. "You look like a seven year old girl doing that."

He laughed a hearty laugh, and Rin fumed. True, she had been sticking her head past the corner like a little girl, but that was no laughing matter! She had been scared for her Servant, and this is how he repaid her….

"Idiot! I was going to thank you and congratulate you, but now… now…!"

Archer grinned.

"So what did I tell you?" he laughed heartily again.

"I am the strongest Servant…."

Rin let the rage die down. Archer was teasing her. Biting bakck the witty retorts, she looked him in the eye, and nodded.

"Good job, Archer."

The sun was starting to rise when they got back to the mansion. She let Archer rest that day. Archer had insisted in following, but Rin let her Servant rest alone, ordering him to stay. They had carried Saber back to the mansion and had her in the guest bedroom again.

"I'm not in any danger at all. I have my magic jewels, and my command seal," she reasoned. "I can always call you with my last command seal."

"But if you do that, Rin…." the Servant had retorted. "I will no longer be your Servant."

"I'll just make a contract with Saber, baka." She stuck out her tongue. She could afford to be like this today. Just a little teasing between the two of them. Rin respected Archer more now that he proved himself to her, and now, Rin needed to let him rest.

It was an uneasy understanding they had. Archer wanted to fulfill his duties as a Servant, but Rin couldn't allow it as it would just sap Archer's strength continuously.

They did not know she was a master. No one did. All was safe for just one day, right?

"Besides," Rin said. "You need to rest. Bringing you along would only be a liability. You can't save me if I have a head on fight… And I'm not interested in fighting today. No. I'll just do what I normally do iin school so no one suspects anything."

Archer gritted his teeth. "And what will I do?"

"Today, you'll watch over Saber, of course," Rin smiled. "I have to admit, the jewels I used to strengthen her haven't really paid off… But I'm not about to leave her drying in the wind. She is honestly very weak right now."

"Besides, I don't want to come back and have her thrash the furniture in her rage again. Someone has to watch her, and you need to rest."

Archer assented in this. Grudgingly, but his assent was more than enough.

"I'm just going to school," Rin said. "I'll be back in the afternoon after classes. I need to call Kirei as well. I need to know why Shirou wasn't protected."

"I'll do this correctly," she said. She clenched her fist. "No mistakes this time, so don't worry."

"No more mistakes."

"I understand everything now."

"I know what I must do."

* * *

WHYHELLOTHERE

Another chapter done. I wrote in the Berserker/Archer fight. Had to make it epic as possible :3

I know. Saber's useless right? _ wah don't worry. She'll have a use. I guarantee it. And not as a supporting character. Right now, she's got no energy, and she's been through several ordeals despite the fact that she's using mana with no net gain and no end goal in sight.

She'll do something eventually.

Yes Archer is bad-ass xD Hope I portrayed it correctly.

I also wanted to paint Rin a little more insecure in this chapter. Get to see a little of what Rin(well… what I envision my Rin) to be. A head-strong girl who's a little insecure on the inside. Isn't that why she's Tsundere?

Mehhee.

As always, hope you had fun reading. I'll see you guys in the next chapter! Like/Fave/Reviews are highly appreciated. Thank you for your time!

PS: And yes, Archer said nothing. Archer doesn't like Shirou -_- And he knows that they can't take Berserker/Ilya YET. Having Rin being morally obliged to her promise to Saber, as well as throwing in weak Archer/Saber vs Berserker will result in the Fate route all over again.

And that's what we want to avoid :D (Besides, Archer is a little bit of a d*** sometimes mehehe. For better or for worse. 3

Bye bye guys!

PSS:

Next chapter is a bit of a doozy. It'll probably be about Rin alone this time.

PSSS:

I'll edit this and the previous one when I have time. I'll put it in the Author's note section when I'm done, so you might see mistakes now and then. Never fear ^_^


End file.
